Breaking and scraping hides



Unirse sTATns PATENT ortica.`

ANTHONY SMITH, 0F GUMBERLAND VALLEY, PENNSYLVANIA.

BREAKING AND SCRAPING HIDES.

Specification of Letters Patent No. 4,712, dated August 26, 1846.

To all whom i may concern Be it known that I, ANTHONY SMITH, of Cumberland Valley, in the county of Bedford and State of Pennsylvania, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Machinery for Beaming, Breaking, or Fleshing Hides, and that the following is a full, clear, and eXact description of the principle or character thereof which distinguishes it from all other things before known and of the manner of making, constructing, and using the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawing, making part of this specification, which is an isometrical view of my apparatus.

The process of beaming, breaking or fleshing hides, as usually performed is one of the most laborious operations in the business, and requires the workman to be constantly in contact with cold wet hides which is very injurious to the constitution, subjecting most operators to disease and forcing many to leave the business. Many attempts have been made to perform this operation by machinery, but none have proved effectual, nor are they to my knowledge now in use. By my invention I am enabled to work the most stubborn hides with ease and facility softening them perfectly and with more precision than can be done by hand, and with a rapidity vastly greater.

The construction of the machine is cheap and simple and is described below, reference being had to the letters on the drawing.

The frame consists of two broad uprights (a) connect-ed near the bottom by two bed pieces (b) one on each side; said pieces project beyond the front upright far enough to sustain a frame for the carriage (c) to traverse on.

The carriage is an oblong platformy placed at right angles to the main frame and made to traverse longitudinally by a windlass (ci) at its center, the head of which projects in front. From around this windlass a cord said skin can be brought under a screper, to

be presently described.

A stout beam (g) is jointed into a mortise cut in the top of the rear upright and thence projects forward through a similar mortise in the front upright in which itV can move up and down over the carriage, as clearly shown in the figure. A sliding frame (71) is connected with the front projecting end of said beam (g) and slides back andk forth on it the width of the table of the carriage; the front end piece of the framey extends down nearly to the table; directly behind this end piece a small block (z') is jointed to which a knife or scraper is connected. By this contrivance it will be seen that when the frame is drawn back the knife is brought down in contact with the hide on the tab-le of the carriage, the block resting against the end piece, and on the return, the joint allows the block to double up so thatthe knife slides over without rubbing. To move the frame it is connected by a pitman (7c) with a crank l (Z) on the upper part of an upright shaft (m) placed at the center of the main frame between the two uprights Near the lower end of said shaft there is a fly wheel (n) for regulating the motion and aiding in scraping; and a pulley (o) is situated above it, by which the shaft receives its motion,

from a band connected with the driving and out beyond the front of the frame; byk

bearing this treadle down any required pressure is made upon the Aknife or scrap-er, and when the foot is removed the knife is raised above the table. j

To operate this machine the knife is put Vin motion by the driving power, and the 10 manner and for the purpose set forth; the

pressure being regulated by the operative', while the scraper is driven by power.

2. I also claim in combination With the above, the movable table above described, on

which the hides are fastened and are moved 15 under the knife.

- ANTHONY SMITH. Witnesses:

J. J. GREENOUGH, J. N. THAYER. 

